Why SEO is Still (Very) Relevant

Potential customers are searching the internet on more devices than ever.

With the rapid evolution of today’s digital marketing landscape, it is natural to question the relevance of SEO occasionally. Web users are interacting with online content differently than in years past, and Google’s increasingly sophisticated algorithm makes it challenging to keep up.

In which case, is SEO still as relevant as it was a decade ago?

The short answer is no – SEO is more relevant today than ever. 

Growing Reliance on Search Engines 

According to the most recent estimates, primary search engines channel around 93% of all web traffic, and Google accounts for as much as 86% of it. These figures are not only high but the highest they have ever been.

This indicates that the world’s reliance on search engines is at an all-time high. The more complex and competitive the web becomes, the more critical the roles played by the major search engines.

Without it, finding what you’re looking for—or at least the top-rated sites within any niche- would be impossible. 

SEO isn’t going anywhere…period. Organic search marketing is neither dead nor dying – it’s alive and kicking. 

Consequently, there are four reasons why now is the perfect time to consider stepping up your investment in SEO. No matter the size or nature of the business, the following four benefits apply in all instances:

Business Visibility

Right off the bat, nothing drives visibility and exposure online like a successful SEO strategy. All the paid ads worldwide cannot rival the influence or appeal of a listing at the top of the SERP rankings. You're golden if you can get your brand anywhere near the top on page one. 

Remember that most people (93%) looking for businesses like yours use search engines to find them. If you don’t appear prominently in the results, you will turn away 93% of prospective leads.

SEO Boosts Brand Image

Also worth considering is the extent to which organic search marketing constitutes a high-profile branding exercise. Appearing prominently on page one can work wonders for your credibility and reputation. The higher you rank, the more legit you are – precisely how people interpret what is presented within the SERP rankings.

Google is engineered to recommend top-rated sites that are popular, unique, and deliver definable value exclusively. You have fulfilled these criteria if you’re performing strongly in the rankings.

SEO Creates Better User Experience

Ultimately, SEO should be about creating the best possible user experience. Today, almost all efforts to please Google’s crawlers are ineffective. By contrast, ensure you deliver an award-worthy UX with plenty of quality content, and the rest takes care of itself.

An investment in SEO is, therefore, an investment in your site’s user experience. Prioritising SEO encourages a business to focus on what it should have been prioritising all along – the UX. 

The Potential for an Unbeatable ROI

Lastly, the potential ROI a solid SEO strategy can deliver is unbeatable for a straightforward reason:

You can take care of most of the work yourself.

Much of what’s involved in a quality SEO campaign is straightforward: simple yet effective website design, 100% unique content of genuine relevance, frequent updates to keep people coming back for more, and so on.

Even if you do decide to bring in outside help, you could still be looking at an exceptional SEO. You are particularly given how SEO targets long-term performance, translating to ongoing gains for your business over an indefinite period.